DesignCon 2014: Test Equipment on Display

There was a time when I didn't go to DesignCon, but that was before I worked for UBM, which owns EE Times and DesignCon. Yes, I'd heard about DesignCon, but because I covered test and measurement, there seemed no need to go to a design event. What a mistake.

Not only does DesignCon feature test equipment, but you can also see the highest-bandwidth test equipment ever built. The bandwidth goes up every year, but that's because data rates seem to increase every year. Of course, data rates don't increase every year, but the next higher speed is always a topic of discussion. In many discussions, the problem of how to measure signals at the next higher speed is always an issue.

Over the next few pages, we present much of the test equipment on display at DesignCon 2014, in alphabetical order by company. We open with the Agilent Technologies banner, which rose above DesignCon for the last time. Next year: Keysight Technologies.

A DCA-X digital communications analyzer, one of many products from Agilent Technologies on display at DesignCon 2014.